What it shows: Though unemployment inched up slightly from the previous month, more than 6,300 Treasure Coast residents were employed in May who did not have jobs a year ago and about 4,400 fewer residents were unemployed and looking for work, according to results of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly telephone survey.

Noteworthy: Though growth of the Treasure Coast labor force was not quite as rapid as the statewide trend, it increased by almost 1 percent over the past year. Statewide, the labor force growth was almost 2 percent. Florida’s labor force has increased for 51 consecutive months, the Department of Economic Opportunity reported. “This economic indicator can be a sign of optimism as more people are entering the labor force with confidence in their prospects for finding employment,” the department’s news release said. The labor force is defined as the sum of employment plus unemployment (those with a job and those without a job but actively seeking work).